Case Study: Transforming Remote Monitoring in the Rural Canyons of Vale, OR with Advanced Control Systems (ACS)
Introduction
For years, Advanced Control Systems (ACS) and the Vale Oregon Irrigation District have maintained a solid and productive partnership. This collaboration has been beneficial on multiple fronts, from collaborating in the creation of WaterMaster, an industry-pioneering software solution for managing irrigation water rights and accounting, to participating in ACS’ cutting-edge technologies for remote irrigation site monitoring and control.
Background
Vale Oregon Irrigation District serves a critical function in water resource management within the rural areas of Vale, Oregon. With the increasing challenges of climate variability and the urgent need for responsible water stewardship, the district’s role is more critical than ever. This responsibility makes the quick and accurate monitoring of water flows necessary for sustainable water resource management.
The Challenge
The Vale Oregon Irrigation District relied on aging satellite infrastructure for monitoring water flows in a few remote canyon locations. The sparse coverage and communications lag led to losses as water diversions occasionally lagged many hours. Moreover, a majority of the remaining sites did not have power, and some of those did not have any cell coverage.
This older system came with two significant drawbacks:
– **High Operational Costs**: The satellite subscription was prohibitively expensive.
– **Delayed Data Transfer**: Data often took several hours to reach the district offices, creating bottlenecks in decision-making processes, particularly around managing flows.
The ACS Solution
To tackle these challenges, ACS developed a customized solution using cellular telemetry technology combined with our proprietary Cloud Hosted SCADA service, CarefreeSCADA. The objective was to provide a robust, real-time data acquisition system that functions in these remote locations.
How We Did It
1. **Initial Assessment**: ACS experts conducted an extensive field assessment to identify the critical points for cellular network reception and to understand the unique challenges of the terrain.
2. **System Design**: Based on the assessment, we designed a system architecture that could provide real-time data without the shortcomings of the existing satellite infrastructure.
3. **Implementation**: ACS technicians deployed the new system, conducting rigorous tests to ensure its efficacy and reliability.
4. **Training and Support**: We trained the district’s team on the new system and continue to offer ongoing technical support.
Key Benefits
1. **Cost-Efficiency**: By switching to cellular telemetry, the district will maintain steady and manageable ongoing operational expenses.
2. **Real-Time Data**: The new system offered instant data retrieval, leading to quick and informed decisions in water flow management.
3. **Reliability and Uptime**: CarefreeSCADA provided consistent, 24/7 monitoring, thus making it easier for the district to manage its water resources.
4. **Scalability**: The new system is modular and can be easily scaled to monitor additional locations.
Conclusion
The overhaul of the Vale Oregon Irrigation District’s remote monitoring system epitomizes the power of innovation and collaboration. By leveraging modern technology, ACS has not only solved a significant issue for the district but also elevated the standard for remote monitoring systems. As we look to the future, ACS and the district are in the process of designing Phase II of this system, in which we will utilize a hybrid of Satellite, Cellular, and Short Hop Line of Site Communications to bring the remaining sites in this canal system into CarefreeSCADA to complete the solution and give the District the full picture of what is happening. ACS remains committed to innovative solutions that make lives better and contribute to responsible resource management.
Contact Us
For further insights into our technology solutions and to explore how we can benefit your organization, please reach out to our team via info@advancedcontrol.com.
By employing modern technology solutions, ACS continues to set new benchmarks in remote monitoring, contributing significantly to effective and sustainable water resource management for our customers around the world.